Michigan

[Dascountry]

We only received a sprinkle of rain yesterday...BUT today it's been drizzling all day. I went ahead and made two loaves of zucchini bread and some dill and bread&butter pickles. Great day for that!

 

[swampducks]

We've got a 98 foot deep well with a submersible pump down around the 60-70 foot mark. There's a hydrant at the well head and I just run hoses from it to the garden. No other pumps in use. Maybe that's why the last well pump only lasted a couple of years. Or not because the previous one lasted at least 10 till it got killed by a lightning strike.

Sauteed more zucchini for supper. Yum.

 

[fair weather chicken]

finally got some tomatoes canned, 14 qts., 7 pints. and more coming. just have to keep those loose chickens out. got to pick the heirloom tomatoes and get seeds saved. finally looks like i might have a job. 4 long months. know there are others who have been without much longer, and blessedly we don't have any loan payments or credit cards. the garden has been a God send this year more than most. got 1/4 to 3/8 rain last night. hope all is well with everyone else.

 

[swampducks]

I've canned 8 pints of dill pickles, been slow getting enough to do another batch. Eating lots of zucchini and cherry tomatoes. Not much ripe in regular ones, bad year for them up here. How is everyone else doing?

 

[swampducks]

I've got a pumpkin turning orange. I also think I may have had a mild frost 1-2 nights ago. My cucumber leaves are curling up and looking crispy. *sigh* There was no warning.

 

[Dascountry]

:happy_flower Ok Michiganders time to bring this thread alive again. I received some of my seeds in the mail yesterday and I am waiting on one more order. I can hardly wait to get them started! Here in the north we still have alot of snow on the ground but thats not gunna stop me from getting excited. Man I just can't wait for spring! Anyone else getting excited to start them seeds?

 

[RustyDHart]

I just checked all of my Dahlia tubers in the basement again.....making sure none had rotted or dried up. Hoping to put about 2,100 Dahlia this year.....about 120 varieties. Lambing starts here in about one week....expecting about 30 lambs to be born. I'm going to start setting Bantam eggs next month as well. I've got buds on my Tahitian Gardenia (Tiare).....they smell soooo good. I've got flower bud stocks developing on my Plumerias as well.....maybe I'll have flowers on them as well here in Northern Michigan. I'll be taking cuttings off my herb plants and planting heirloom veggie seeds this Spring too. It's still cold and lots of snow...but...Spring is around the corner. Take care, Rusty

 

[Smart Red]

I went down to get some potatoes. The purple ones I brought up to use are just starting to sprout, but some of the other spuds felt like they were sprouting pretty much. I skipped digging through the boxes for the dahlia tubers to check them. I usually don't get down to the dahlias until mid to late March.

I got the last of my (only one) veggie seed orders yesterday. Don't know why I bothered with an order. I have plenty of seeds already.

I am determined NOT to purchase any perennials or shrubs until I see what made it through last year's drought.

Love, Smart Red

 

[Dascountry]

Since I posted last we've gotten a few more inches of snow I have tons of seeds also but love to order something new to try. I'm going to try some colored cauliflower this year. I always need to order some carrot & beet seeds though. I am going to try again this year on starting my own tomato plants too. Anyone have any special tricks on them?

 

[Jared77]

Me I'm sitting pretty idle this year. We've put an offer in on a house so we're waiting to see what happens. I saved some pumpkin seeds from a 75lbs that the farmer said he had a whole field that big because of the variety (darn it if I can remember which one it was) and that was just with water from the sky. Nothing special as far as care goes they just get that big. He planted the week before Memorial day too. So I saved those.

Those may or may not get planted this year we'll see. Otherwise I'm only buying starts this year. No seeds.....well maybe carrots since my daughter LOVES growing those. May just be a tomato only year for me if we get the house. Enough to eat fresh and that's it. Then the following year Ill know where I want it, and get things prepped for 2014 and beyond.

Far as tricks I've never done it but I know some folks on here like ocelating fans on low to help the seedlings get strength and keep the stems dry without constantly stressing the plant. Sorry I'm not any more help.